7 Ways to Work Smarter Working smarter doesnt necessarily mean that you need to change everything you do but

it could start with a few small changes such as these seven suggestions. Work Smarter Idea No. 1 Begin with the end in mind It is always wise to know the end-game or the final destination of your journey. For example if you are executing a project it is essential to understand what the deliverables are and the deadline for the work to be completed. It is also important to understand why you are doing this so that you are able to see the bigger picture remember why you need to stay focused and complete the job. Work Smarter Idea No. 2 Have a plan in hand We cannot deny the importance of planning when it comes to execution. Failure often stems from a lack of preparation and planning. It is also crucial to have a structure in place that supports your plan and helps get you to the final destination that you have defined earlier. !ets face it there will be times that our energy may be low and we may even get side-tracked from our goals. " solid support structure will help us stay on track. For example setting time for status report meetings by putting the dates in everyones calendar in advance will allow for regular timely updates and adjustments to be made if and when necessary. Work Smarter Idea No. 3 !tso!r"e #here is a strong argument for playing to our strengths as all of us excel in something but we cant be a $%ack-of-all trades& and neither should we attempt to be as this may derail us from being successful at what we are good at. "s such it may make more sense to outsource a non-core task or bring in external consultants to work on areas which re'uire expertise that your team does not possess. (therwise you and the team may be pulled into the trap of spending a lot of time trying to reinvent the wheel and end up with a wheel that doesnt work as well as it should. Work Smarter Idea No. # $o %or the High&Impa"t Items #he higher up the corporate ladder you are the more meetings and training opportunities you are likely to have. Whilst it would be nice to attend them all it may be physically impossible to do so. For instance it may be wise to choose which training sessions to attend by selecting the ones that can add the most value to your personal and professional development. Work Smarter Idea No. ' Stop (eing a per%e"tionist )any of us try to do everything ourselves because it may appear that guiding someone to do the job will take too much time and effort. *owever this task may takeup a lot of valuable time which could have been spent on more productive work particularly if it is a recurring task. #he idea is to delegate the work that can be accomplished by someone else so that you can focus on what really matters. Work Smarter Idea No. ) *i"k +o!r Battles

It would be nice if we could all go through life without any obstacles or roadblocks. +nfortunately this doesnt happen in reality. #here is usually that one individual whom you know will object to your idea in a meeting or a boss who wont easily approve your plans without numerous detailed discussions. In such situations it is important to pick your battles and not try to fight every single one of them as the time and energy spent may not justify your efforts. Work Smarter Idea No. 7 & Be open and get help %rom others We often forget that we are not alone in most situations that we face. ,omeone you know may have faced a similar situation or you may have a colleague whom you can brainstorm with to come up with solutions. #he burden may not seem as heavy if you are able to share it with someone even if it is just to get another perspective- of course it is also important to choose your confidant wisely and not disclose confidential information that should not be shared. .eedless to say if we are only working smart and not putting in the necessary hours we may not achieve our objectives and goals as it generally takes about /0 000 hours of practice to master a skill or to become an expert. Working smarter in such an instance may not be enough- rather achieving a balance of working hard and working smart is the ideal combination. *,-.IN/ N$ managing director of 1#I 2onsultants believes in achieving a good balance between working hard and working smart.